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How can I make my electricity generator quieter? By using a motorbike exhaust pipe? Or...?

I live in Moscow and have a log cabin about 50 miles south. No communal electricity. My generator runs on petrol. Great, but noisy. I use it very sparingly so as not to disturb my neighbours. But it would be wonderful if I could run it all night, to keep the place warm.

Public Comments

1. # I am just presenting some clues taken from the net as I dont know your real gen-set : Emergency generators can easily exceed 100 decibels. Generator noise is primarily comprised of two noise sources: engine noise and exhaust noise. NOTE: Often times, noise data provided by generator manufacturers will exclude the exhaust noise. -Every time the distance from the generator is doubled, the noise level is reduced by 6 dB. (A 6 decibel reduction is defined as "clearly noticeable".) Note: You must double the total distance, not the original distance, to achieve additional 6 dB reductions. -Barrier Walls Barrier walls (of sufficient height & material) can substantially reduce the generator noise. To be effective, a barrier wall must at least block the line-of-sight from the source to the receiver. Note: The source height of the generator can be fairly high, particularly if it is installed on the tanks. Also consider the height of the receiver. Is the impacted site multi-floors? The wall must also be of solid construction, such as concrete block. ("Solid construction" does not necessarily imply that the cells be solid grouted. It implies that the wall should not have openings or penetrations.) -Use An Onan exhaust resonator : Even if only 1 db of noise reduction from the resonator, the effect is more significant because the resonator removes the harshness from the noise. If you listen to the exhaust from a very close distance, all you hear is a very muffled "put, put, put". Most all of the remaining noise is engine and generator mechanical noise transmitted directly from the generator housing, which is reduced by the soundproffing material . -There are four layers of soundproofing material (2") under the generator to raise it up to clear the frame structure. The material is "Sound Board" and it is appears to be self extinguishing when a source of flame is removed. Please note that this generator installation is an LP device, and therefore the risk of fuel soaking into the material is low. For the installation of a gasoline or diesel generator, additional fire rating research is suggested. A noise reduction of 9db can be achieved by this modification . Please visit: http://www.enoisecontrol.com/Diesel_Engine_Generator_Set_Noise_Control.pdf http://www.survivalblog.com/2007/11/homeretreat_power_generator_no.html
2. From my home generator page... http://members.rennlist.org/warren/generator.html Portable generators are noisy. If you have neighbors nearby or the noise is unbearable in your house here are some ideas. Choose an operating location as far away as possible. Note that a larger gauge wire is needed to reduce voltage drop as line length increases. Reducing line loss is required to minimize power loss and to ensure maximum power is available to the house. Lights will flicker less when heavy loads are attached. Change the exhaust system. Noise from the portable generator systems comes primarily from two sources, the engine block and the exhaust system. With an air cooled engine there is little you can do about block noise. Some engines can have a larger muffler attached or make other changes to the exhaust system. Merely mounting exhaust pipe vertically will noticeably reduce noise. Build a noise shielding enclosure. This could be as simple as a piece of plywood to reflect sound away from the house to a separate shed to hold the generator. Design your enclosure with safety in mind. Provide adequate air circulation and ventilation to prevent heat buildup and to remove carbon monoxide. If the noise bothers your neighbors, invite them over for coffee or offer to run line to their home to power the freezer or a few lights. Talk to them before starting the engine, ask they let you know if the noise is bothersome before they phone the police or harbor any resentment. A little diplomacy can go a long way. Last resort, shut off the engine or buy a quiet generator.